TOWN AND COUNTRY

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 95, 17 January 1924, Page 3

TOWN AND COUNTRY

NEWS AND NOTES FROM THE PROVINCES

There is a doctor in Christchurch who in faced with a very difficult problem (says the “Sun”). Recently he recommended a work-worried business man to take up golf in order to take his mind off his work. Now the business man’s family are demanding that he prescribe something to get it back again.

The fruit harvest is expected to be comparatively poor in the Oamaru district this year (says the “North Otago Times”). The toll of the small 'birds has been enormous, while the drought and the westerly winds have had a devastating effect.

Those dairy farmers in the Oamaru district who took the precaution to grow lucerne are reaping a substantial benefit this season (says the “North Otago Times’’),, as the succulence provided by this fodder is having a marked effect in maintaining the milk supply.

A New Zealander in Japan writing of school work in that country, says (reports the “Taranaki Daily News ), that the teachers are like big brothers, and although discipline is kept there is a freedom of atmosphere never experienced in colonial schools. There are no truant officers, for boys never want to stay away from school, strange as it may seem, but nevertheless true. There are no punishments of any kind. The result is only what one must expect after years of such a system. It produces lew bad boys, few poor scholars, and excellent morals.

Atlantic salmon are very plentiful at Lake Te Anau, Otago, five wellconditioned fish being caught in a brief period by two Canterbury fishermen recently (says the ‘ North Otago Times”). Mjty northern anglers have been attracted to Te Anau lately. At To Anau one can get every kind ot sport imaginable—the fishing for Atlantic salmon and .the pig-shootmg make it an ideal holiday place.

A. very humane and sympathetic act was performed by the jury that heard an inouest in Oamaru on Monday (relates the “North .Otago Times”). After receiving their fees, the- foreman stated that the jury had decided to hand the money to the widow of the deceased, who was left with a young famii,’. He accordingly handed the fees to th© Coroner, to be forwarded through the proper Quarters. llie Coroner cordially thanked the jury for their act of' generosity.

s That the “boys of the old brigade” can still hold their own with the younger men of the present day was instanced rather strips l ? ! a?t at Poro-o-toroa (says the King Country Chronicle”), when two bushmen, whoso joint ages totalled nearly a hundred years, chopped out a 200-acre block of standing bush in the same time as three considerably younger me i felled 100 acres of bush' of exacting the same description.

Monday’s Greymouth -Star” says: There's not by any means general resumption of work at the State mines to-day, many preferring to commence work later in the week. Tn the words of one miner, those who commenced work to-day would have as companions large numbers cf rats, and even wild cate, which infest the mines after they are idle for any length of time.

A survivor of the wreck of H.M.S. Orpheus, in the Manuknu Harbour in the early ’sixties, was visited by the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. J G. Coates, during bis tour of the Far North (says an exchange). The old man claims to be the only survivor of the wreck still living. He is Mr. James Mason, now in l is. irtth year. He has lived in New Zealand since he landed at Onehunga sixty years ago. He never returned to the naval service; in fact, he admits desertion today.

“Do you mean to say that it costs you 30s. a week for groceries for yourself and three others?” asked a young bachelor lawyer of a man who was obviously in poor circumstances at the Christchurch Magistrate’s Court on Monday (relates the “Press”). “Haye you ever kept house?” interjected His Worship, Mr. H. Y. Widdowson, S.M. •'No, Your Worship. I am afraid I haven’t —at least not yet,” replied the embarrassed lawyer. “Well, you try it. You’ll find it costs more than that!”

‘ “What is this South Hagley Park? Is it a rendezvous or what?” asked Mr. H. Y. Widdowson, S.M., at the Christchurch Magistrate’s Court on Monday, when he convicted and fined the seventh offender for being found under the influence of an intoxicating beverage in South Hagley Park. “They get drunk, Your Worship, end go tn there and sleep it off!” explained Sergeant Roach, who prosecuted for the police. “Oh! I see. so it becomes a source of revenue, doesn’t it?” murmured the Magistrate drily, amid laughter.

The residents of JTiverton received a mild surprise a few days ago on seeing a motor-car containing several small children go hurtling backwards along the main street, with its perspiring owner dashing after it at a place which would have made M illie Lincoln or Look Out green vith envy (relates the “Otago Daily Times”). After a hard chase the car was ovortaKCii and brought to a standstill about six inches from a stalwart lamp post, and the owner, while regaining his breath, informed all within earshot in lurid terms that next time he - ranked the recalcitrant vehicle he ivould take good care to s.ee it was not in reverse.

“I was ‘had’ beautifully by a man describing himself as the French Consul about going ashore at Tahiti, writes a Christchurch ladv to her son from San Francisco. “He made me pav him £2, or else, he said, we could not go ashore at this place, where we wool Ibe anchored for 24 hours. I told at the time that I thought it was wrong, but the Frenchman said it was the new rule and that we tooir the risk of being arrested if we put foot on French soil without paving this sum. So when we did go on shore I asked one of tho officials, and he laughed, and said we could go. anywhere we liked on the island without paying a single franc.”—Exchange.

The value of the much-lauded “vitamines” has been much over-rated, according'to statements made by Dr. T. F. Telford at the Master Bakers Conference at Christchurch (says an exchange). “Regarding vitanunes in bread ” lie said. “I think thev have been run to death. I said all along that thev were merely a fad, and now the pendulum has taken its maximum and returned to the mean. . H© stated that :f bread lacked vitanunes, the want of them was more than made up by the other ingredients of .a mixed meal. The absence of salts in bread was easily made up by such a vegetable as the potato.

Methylated spirits is a dangerous liquor to have about in hot weather. At the Christchurch Magistrates Cours on Monday tho nolice z told of a first offender for drunkenness, who was found in danger of his life m Haglei Park on Saturday afternoon. He had been drinking the spirits and smoking cigarettes, at. the same time throwing matches and liquid carelessly about- him (relates the “Lvttelton Times”). Then he fell into a drunken sleep and when found by the police he was in the middle of a grass fire, which was almost no to him. "he mon evidently hnd premonitions of further mishaps, for ho made a rennnSj to bo sent to Roto Ron. but that is a matter which must yet be decided.

The sale of a farming property in Otago was just about beiim completed the other day when the seller notified the representative of the purchaser that the negotiations were at an end (relatetlm “Dunedin Evening Star”). “What’s the matter ” lie was asked. “Is not the nriee big enough,” “Yes,” he answered, “the price is all right, and I am wanting to get tut. but I’ve seen the customer, and find that he. is a- returned soldier who is still feeling the efferts of his war services, and I should be ashamed if ’t turned out that the work he would have to put in io make the propertv pay at the price b© is giving should land him in regrets. I should feel that I had taken down a returned soldier.” It is a pitv that all sellers have not been so considerate.

Along the Wai.roa Road between Petan- and Tutira mav be noticed a black waste left by the fires which have been so prevalent of late (says the “Nanier Telegraph”). The bushpovered hill that is first seen on approaching Tangoio has been, badly damaged and all that remains is blackened stumps and withered tops of cabbage trees. . An outbreak which started on the slope near the fall fortunately did not spread, and no serious damage was done there. Practically all the spots so much sought after bv blackberry pickers hive been destroyed, and the outlook from their point of view is anything but encouraging just now. The slopes on the far side of Lake Tutira have had the fire over them, and in other parts hundreds of acres of grass land have been cleared off. The loss of feed to the farmers is considerable, and with no prospect of an immediate growth there will probably be some losses among stock.

“Every day that this weather continues,*' remarked a business man to a “Poverty Bay Herald” reporter during the recent hot spell, “I get a little nearer the stage where I shall shock my customers and my business associates by coming out in a shirt with an open collar, a pair of light- drill trousers, and an alpaca coat. The trouble witli us is that we are all afraid of what people will say of us. Probably every business man would like to throw off the dark suit and stiff white collar that seems to be his badge, and come to work in dress suitable, to the climate, only he is afraid of ridicule. One of these days I’m going to risk it; and probably on that day it will rain like fury, and I’ll go home with a chill,” ho concluded. The suggestion that Gisborne should be accepted as o' subtropical climate is gaining support rapidly and possibly next summer will see a revolution in fine weather wear.

They do things lavishly in South America (remarks the “Christchurch Sun”). On Tuesday the Christchurch City Council received, through the High Commissioner and the Department of Internal Affairs, an enormous album, bound in red leather, lettered in gold, and containing—what? Why, dozens of photographs of the apparently brandnew municipal council buildings at Rio de Janeiro. There was no covering letter, only a memorandum on the wrapper stating that the parcel had come from the High Commissioner in London. Inside the album was a copy of a newspaper published in Rio, but, as it was entirely in the Portuguese language, not much information could bo gained from it. The building, to judge from the photographs, is ornate beyond the dreams of even Parliamentary legislators in this part of the world, with frescoes, £iainted ceilings, many pictures, pillared corridors, and many other adornments. The municipality must be very proud of its new home, for the album of views could cost scarcely less than £lO, binding and all.